Jesper Karlström Opens Up to Hooligan Soccer | OneFootball

All things considered, it is shaping up to be a busy few weeks for Jesper Kewe Karlström. On Sunday, the Udinese captain will lead his team to battle at Napoli for the final match of the Serie A season. Having beaten them earlier in the season, he’ll be seeking to extend their unbeaten streak to three matches in a row against the Partenopei.

However, he won’t have much time to relax; instead, he’ll be immediately transitioning to international duty and helping his Sweden team compete in friendlies vs. Norway and Greece, before commencing their 2026 World Cup journey in Monterey. After facing Tunisia in their opener, Sweden will then meet the Netherlands and Japan in Texas.

“I think we can do something positive there, but we still have time left to think about those things later,” stated Karlström in an exclusive Hooligan Soccer interview. “Right now, I have my focus on finishing the season as well as possible with Udinese, and then I will be excited about the World Cup.”

Jesper Karlström’s Journey

Born on June 21, 1995, Jesper Kewe Karlström grew up in the Swedish capital of Stockholm and plied his trade at Hammarby IF, IF Brommapojkarna, and Djurgårdens IF, guiding the latter to glory in the Svenska Cupen and Allsvenskan. After winning the two biggest trophies in Sweden, Karlström then made the move to Polish side Lech Poznań in December 2020, leading them to the 2022 Polish Cup Final as well as their first title in seven years.

It wasn’t long before Karlström’s abilities started to earn attention from across the European continent, joining Italian club Udinese on a two-year deal for a reported fee of $2.3 million with potential bonuses in August 2024. He quickly established himself as the Zebrette’s midfield metronome, and after just one season in Serie A, he replaced Florian Thauvin as the club’s captain.

As he approaches 31 years of age, Jesper Karlström has cemented his status as an indispensable figure for both Udinese and Sweden. Four years after taking part in a friendly between the best domestic players in Sweden and Denmark, Karlström made his competitive debut in 2022, helping Sweden defeat Czechia before losing to Poland and narrowly missing out on a trip to Qatar.

After a year out of the team, Karlström returned to the fold in October 2024, and he’s been involved in every single international window since. He enjoyed the sweet taste of revenge after edging Ukraine and Poland in March 2026 and leading Sweden to one of the final places in the 2026 World Cup in North America.

But before taking part in his first international tournament he’s looking to help Udinese secure their first top-half finish in 13 years. Udinese currently sit 10th in the table, one point behind Lazio (who’ll be hosting already-relegated Pisa) and one point above Sassuolo, who’ll be traveling to 13th placed Parma on Sunday.

Jesper Karlström Interview

We spoke to Jesper Karlström about a number of topics, including:

After finishing 12th last season, Udinese are currently 10th in the table. What have you made of this season so far? Do you sense that the team is improving in any way under manager Kosta Runjaić?

Yeah, I think we take steps all the time, with some bumps on the road, which is normal. This year, comparing to last year, we won against many top teams, and I think our way of playing also developed a lot, and many players developed individually. Even though we lost some key players, I think we’re on a good way.

I think we can finish top 10, with a good end of the season. If we would do that, it would be a fantastic season for us, and also compared to the last 13 seasons for Udinese, which, they’ve never been better than position 12. I think we have the chance to do something what the club didn’t do in many years, and that would be fantastic.

What has your relationship been like with the Udinese fans? Have they been really important in giving you support?

 Yeah, they’ve been fantastic to me from Day One here, and I feel the support, and I feel the love on Instagram, on the streets when I meet them, or during the games, or after the games.

I feel they really support me, and they support the team in an amazing way, so you just want to pay back by doing good performances, and of course win. You want to win the games, because they are supporting us when we lose, so that’s really something special here in this club, the support they give us.

Lastly, you’re starting every week for Udinese and Sweden. Do you think that at 30 years old, you’re playing the best football of your career? And do you think at maybe 31 or 32, you could be even better than you are now?

 Yeah, for sure. I’m always trying to develop. It’s not going always uphill, but it’s also in those moments where you struggle, or where you can learn things. I feel like in some ways, I play my best football, but I’m also hungry to play better every week and every year.

I don’t think it will stop next year or the year after that, I’m always trying to be better, and I know that in some time, it will also have to go downhill. But I’m trying to see it in a different way, and I think that I can always learn something and be good in different things, and by experience. I think the more experience I get, the better I get, so, I’m positive.